Egg-case.



M. E. VAN LUVEN.

EGG CASE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 3, 1908.

Patented Feb. 16, 1909.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

O0 O0 O0 00 O0 O0 O0 M. E. VAN LUVEN.

EGG CASE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY s, 1908.

Patented Feb. 16, 1909.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

M. E. VAN LUVEN.

EGG CASE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 3, 190B.

9 1 2,922 Patented Feb. 16, 1909.

3 SHEETSSHEET 3. 13 y" 19 0 f W o][0\ /0To 0T0 {0 00 GU10 olLo 0J@ BIL 0L 0; SZWZQ 39 Q :2 3 Z 0 35 0 (J10 0 J 0 O aflvenfozl w W Quinn,

MARY E. VAN LU'VEN, OF OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA.

EGG-CASE Specification 0! Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 16, 1909.

Application filed July 3, 1908. Serial No. 441,832.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MARY E. VAN LUVEN, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Oakland, in the county of Alameda and State of California, have invented new and useiul' Improvements in Egg-Cases, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to egg cases, the

general object of the invention being to provide simpl'e, cheap and practical means for pack storing and transporting eggs. The invention also has for its object to provide means for thoroughly ventilating the cells'in which the eggs are placed, also to provide means for preventing t e crushing of the cells and the consequentbreakingpf the 8 furtherobject of the inventionis to provide means adapting a number of cartons to be packedina common carrying or transportcrate' while preventing the crushing of the cartonsshould unusual pressure be r rou ht to bear on'the crate.

With the above'and other obj cots-in view,

the nature of which will more fully appear as the description roceeds, the invention consists in'the nove construction, combination,

and arrangement of parts, herein fully described, illustrated and claimed. p

In the accompany in drawings :Figure 1 is a' side elevation of t e' crate'in which the cartonsare' a'c'ed. Fig. 2 isa vertical longi tudinal section through the same. Fig- 3 is a vertical cross section thereof. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of one of the cartons or egg cases showing the lid thereof raised. Fig. 5 is a vertical longitudinal section through the same. Fig. 6 is a vertical cross section thereof taken near one end and omitting the cross pieces and lon 'tudinal strip. Fig. 7 is a central vertica cross section showing the longitudinal strip and one of the cross pieces, Fig. 8 is a plan view of the carton lank before folding the same in the form of a box or'case. Fig. 9 is a similar view of the cover section of the carton. Fig. 10 is a plan view of the longitudinal strip. Fig. 11 is a planview of one of the cross ieces.

The crate is referab y constructed throughout of woo being in the form of a rectangularlbox which comprises a bottom 1, ends2 provided with suitable hand-holes for liftin "and handling the crate, sides compose ".of'a plurality of horizontal parallel slats 3'connected at' their extremities to the I ends 2, and a cover ,or top 4. It is also desirable to provide one or more intermediate partitions or center pieces 5 located at suitable distances apart: or from the ends 2 to provide com' artments proportionate. in

length and wi' th to the external dimensions v of the egg cases 'or cartons hereinafter described so as to kee said cartons or cases in se arate stacks. T e cover or top 4 is cleated on the under side as shown in Figs. 1,2 and 3, the cleats 6 being arrangedto rest upon the ends 2 and the center piece5, as best illustrated in Fig. 2 which prevents'any crushingstrain on the cover or top 4 from being transmitted to the egg case or cartons contained in the crate, this being quite an important detail in the construction of the crate and in the means as a whole for preventing the breakage of the eggs in trans ortation.

In the bottom of each'of t 'econipartments of the crate there is arranged .a .false bottom 7 of card+board having the opposite edges thereof turned u ward as shown at-8 to orm guard flanges w ich will prevent said false bottom section from slipping outward between the slats 3 of the crate sides beneath which false bottom 7 and between said bot torn and the bottom 1 of the crate, there is arranged a layer 9 of excelsior, said layer being of any desired thickness so as'to form a cushion for the support'ofthe several stacks of the cartons which will reduce to alstill greater degree the liability of breakage of the eggs. v

The carton of this invention comprises two main sections illustrated in Figs. 8 and 9 and other minor sections in the two forms illustrated in detail in Figs. 10 and 11. .The section shown in Fig. 8 forms the main body section of the carton and is com osed of a card-board blank which may, if esired, be coated with wax or similar material to prevent the accumulation or absorption of moisture around the eggs. The central portion 10 of the blank shown in Fig. 8 constitutes the bottom of the carton or eg case while the portions 11 at the opposite sides of the fold lines 12 constitute the long sides of the case, the same being provided with a large number of ventilation openin s 13.to provide for a circulation of air at a l-times through the compartments or cells in which the eggs are contained. The blank is also which, taken in connection with the V- shaped incisions 15, form end flaps 16 and 17 I central slit 34 extending from the top edgethereof downwardto provide for interlocked engagement with the longitudinal strip here-' whlch, when the blank is folded on all of the fold lines 12 and 14, constitute the partially open ends of the main body of the carton or egg case as best illustrated in Fig. 6. The outer edges of the sides 11 are provided with a series of slits 18, the outer portions of which are enlarged or flared as shown at 19 to receive and admit of the interlocking engagement therewith of the cross pieces hereinafter described.

The next section in importance or, in

other words, the lid section of the carton or case is illustrated in lan in Fig. 9 before folding the same, said lid section comprising the lid ortion 20 provided with a longitudinal fiild line 21 to establish a closing flap 22 adapted to extend over and beyond one side of the main section of'the box when folded as shown in Figs. 6 and 7. The lid section is alsoprovided with a fold line 23 parallel with the fold line 21 which defines the lid proper from an additional box side'24 which is, provided with ventilation openings 25 which correspond and register with the openings 13 in the adjacent side of the main section abovedescribed when the parts are folded and properly combined in their complete form. The blank shown in Fig. 9 is also extended to form the end flaps 26 which extend outside of the flaps 16 and 17 of the main section of the carton as shown in Fig. 4 and said end flaps are provided with projecting straps 27 which are lapped around the fro'nt corners of the cartons as shownin Fig. 4, the said straps being coated with adhesive material upon their inner faces and adhering to the adjacent front. side of the case. The flaps 26 are provided in their top edges with slits 28 corres onding with the slits 18 above described and adapted to provide for the interlocked enga ement therewith of the longitudinal strip 0 the carton hereinafter described. The straps 27 are folded on the line 29 shown in Fig. 9 and it will also be observed with reference to the same figure that projecting tabs 30 are provided just above the stra s 27 which project beyond the corners of t e box as shown in Fig. 4 to form seats for the final closing flap 22 of the lid section of the box as shown in Fig. 6.

In addition to the main body and lid sections above described, I employ a series of cross pieces 31, one of which is illustrated in prises plan in Fig. 11. Each cross piece 31 comfprojecting tabs 32 at op osite ends thereo between which and the ody of the cross pieces there are'slits 33 which, taken in connection with the slits 18 above referred to, provide for an interlocking engagement between the long sides ofthe carton and said cross pieces, thereby holding the cross pieces securely in lace while admitting of ready separation etween the parts referred to. Each cross piece 31 is also provided with a inatter described.

'1 he longitudinal strip 35 illustrated in Fig. 10 is of a width equal to the depth of, the

carton or case and is provided with a large" number of ventilation openings 36 and is also provided with a series of slits 37 extending from the bottom edge thereof upward a suitable distance. lhe longitudinal strip is further provided with end tabs 38 between which and the body'of the strip there are slits 39 which are adapted to register with the slits 28 in the end flaps 26 of the lid section thereby forming an interlocked connect ion between the longitudinal strip and said end flaps, serving to hold the box sections together.

'1 he end tabs 38. are adapted: to be folded flatwise against the outer surfaces of the end flaps 26 or left projecting straight outward therefrom as shown in 1* ig. 4. l he slits 37 register with the slits 34 of the cross pieces a jacent side '11 of the main section of the case as shown in Figs. 4 and 5. It will be observed that the distance between the fold lines 21 and 23 of the cover section is 'sufficient to enable the fla 22 to rest against the extreme outer edges 0 the end tabs 32 0f the cross pieces and likewise against the edges of the tabs 30 of the'end flaps 26. In the preferred embodiment of the invention the portions 24 and 26 of the lid section are made wider than the sides 11 of the main section so that while the upper edges of said parts are brought into alinement with each other as shown in Figs. 4, 5, 6 and 7, the lower edges of the parts 24 and 26i'will project below the bottom 10 of the main section and thereby form a supporting chime 41'which will support the bottom 10 clear of the underlying case or bottom of the crate and give the necessary flexibility and yielding properties to the bottom of the carton or egg case. Furthermore if any excessive pressure is brought to bear on one or more of the cartons the flange or chime 41 will yield or bend or break before the eggs themselves are subjected to breaking pressure. It will also be noted that the lower edges of the straps-27 are in 'line with the corresponding bottom edges of the portions 24 and 26 of the lid sec- .tion, thereby adding to the effect just deter are properly packed inthe transporting crate hereinabove describedQ 'lhe projecting tabs 30 and 32 allow for a free entry and exit of air beneath the lid and also between the adjacentlylying cartons or cases while the slatted formation of the common carrying case or crate provides for the admission of an ample supply of air to each and all of the cartons or cases;

It will be observed by reference to Fig. 3 that the to and bottom slats 3 are of greater thickness t an the intermediate slats, which "insures ventilation between adjacent crates no matter how closely the same may be packed together. 'lhe', cleats 6 serve two purposes in that they operate to strengthen the cover and also hold the cartons in osition without pressing on the covers 0 the cartons. '1 he excelsior mat in the bottom of the caseabsorbs jar and vibration to which the cartons may be subjected during, transportation and handling.

the ttom of the carton is provided with a series of relatively-lar e openings or perfo- "moving themfrom the carton and without handling. If desired, a art or section of the carton as a whole'may' e coated or treated with wax to render the same impervious to moisture.

Having thus described the invention, What is claimed as new, is g 1. An egg case, a carton embod 'ng a main section comprising ventilated si es and ends, and a bottom, a lid section comprising a lid proper,,a supplemental side having ventilation openings correspondin with the ventilation openin s in the side 0 the main section,.and end aps extending outside of and along in contact with the ends of the main section, a longitudinal cell-forming strip having an interlocked engagement at its ends with B reference to Fig. 8, it will be seen that thesaid flaps of the lid section, and a lurality of cross-pieces having an interloc ed engagement with the said longitudinal strip and the opposite sides of the main section.

2. In an egg case, the combination of a main section comprising a bottom, sides extending upward therefrom and provided with ventilation openings, a lid section provided with portions extending along the back and the op osite ends of the main section, a longitudina strip having an interlocking connection at its-opposite extremities with the end flaps of the 11d section, a plurality of cross pieces having an interlocking connection with the sides of the main section, and a flap on the lid section forming a cover for the carton.

3. In an egg case, the combination of a main section'comprising a bottom, sides extending upward therefrom and provided with ventilation openings, a lid section provided with portions extending along the back and the op osite ends of the main section, a longi tudina strip having an interlocked connection at its 0 posite extremities with the end flaps of the 1d section, a lurality of cross pieces having an interlocke connection with the sides of the main section and projecting at one end beyond the outer surface of the adjacent side of the main section and a flap on the lid section adapted to embrace and rest against the projectlng parts of the cross p1eces. l

4. In an egg case, a carton comprisi a main section the walls of which are provi ed with ventilation openings, intersecting longitudinal and cross ieces forming individual egg cells, and a li section havmg portions which extend along one of the long sides of 

